Blind Date
by thewordgirl
Summary: Tumblr Prompt: repeatinglitanies prompted: Storybrooke AU: Belle reluctantly goes on a blind date at her father's insistence. What she didn't know is that her father set her up with their landlord Mr. Gold in exchange for an extension in payment...


**repeatinglitanies prompted: Storybrooke AU: Belle reluctantly goes on a blind date at her father's insistence. What she didn't know is that her father set her up with their landlord Mr. Gold in exchange for an extension in payment. Upon finding out at the last minute, she almost decides to call off the whole thing. That is until she sees Mr. Gold bringing his five-year-old son Bae, who insists on personally presenting her with the flowers. **

"Belle my girl, just, _consider _it!" Moe pleaded to his daughter as he helped her clear the plates from dinner off of the table and into the sink.

"Dad-I already told you, _no._" Belle said adamantly. "I've no interest in being set up with some guy."

"It's not a set up! It's just a date. One date." Moe tried to reason. "And who knows? You might even like him! You won't know unless you give him a chance!"

Belle shook her head in agitation. Knowing the type of men her father always rambled on about-and knowing the kind of men he'd tried to set her up with in the past-Belle was _certain _that, whomever her father was trying to set her up with was someone she would _not _care for. Not in the slightest.

"Dad, I don't want to go on a date with _anyone." _Belle said as she began to run water in the sink to wash the dishes. "I'm perfectly happy being on my own."

"Belle." Moe said. "I'm getting older, and I don't want you to be alone for the rest of your life. I don't want you to be unhappy-"

Belle threw her hands up in irritation.

"I'm not unhappy! What makes you think I am?" She shouted. "I promise you, if I was unhappy I would tell you. But I'm not! I have a great life-great friends, a great apartment, a great job-"

"Working at a library." Moe said with clear disdain.

Belle narrowed her eyes. Her father had _never _approved of her choices. He had a very old-fashioned way of thinking. If he'd had it his way, Belle would have married right out of high school and started a family immediately. But Belle didn't want those things. She wanted a chance at her own life, a chance to be independent, before she settled down with anyone. And, even if she was to ever settle down with someone, she wanted them to be the right person. She wanted to know that she loved them, and that they loved her.

"Dad." Belle said, her voice even. "If I agree to this-"

Moe looked hopeful.

"I said _if." _Belle clarified. "Will you _stop _trying to infringe upon my life? Will you let me be and just accept the fact that I'm happy with what I've got?"

Moe stiffened at her words.

"I just want to make sure you're alright Belle." He said softly.

Belle shook her head.

"I know that Dad, I do-but you have to trust me when I say that I'm fine."

Moe nodded reluctantly.

"Alright." He said. "If you agree to go on this _one _date-I'll stop butting in. I promise." Even as he said it, he _knew _he was lying.

Belle looked at him, she knew that he probably didn't mean it. She knew that in about a month's time, he would start on her again-but, if it meant that for at least one month-she got some peace, she would deal with it. After all, It was just one date right?

"Fine." Belle said hesitantly. "I'll go-but, can you at _least _tell me who he is?"

Moe smiled and shook his head.

"Nope! That is a surprise!" He said. "He'll pick you up at your apartment tomorrow at 6:00pm."

Belle sighed heavily, she was already dreading tomorrow.

* * *

"_Mr. Gold, please!" Moe begged. "I just don't have the money to pay you-if you just give me a few more weeks.." _

"_A few more weeks?" Mr. Gold spat. "You're telling me that, not only can you __not __pay me today-but that you won't be able to pay me for a few more weeks?" _

_Moe nodded grimly._

"_Now tell me Mr. French." Mr. Gold continued. "Payment hasn't always been a 'huge' issue for you-so why now, hmm?" _

_Moe fidgeted. "I uh-I spent it." _

_Mr. Gold clicked his tongue. "I see-you 'spent' the money. My money-the money you owe me…" He paused. "Now that just won't do, now will it?" _

"_I-I can try and borrow some." Moe said, fearful of Mr. Gold's wrath. He didn't stand for late payments. _

_Mr. Gold laughed darkly. He owned nearly every bank in town-and none of them would offer someone like Moe French, a man up to his ears in debt, a loan of any sort._

"_I think we both know that isn't a feasible option." Mr. Gold sneered._

"_I-I could borrow from my daughter." Moe declared, excited at the prospect. "She's good with money, she always has some in her savings. I'm sure I-" _

_Mr. Gold practically growled at Moe's words. He hated the idea of Moe French hoarding his daughter's money for himself, he knew that he'd done it in the past, and it had always left a foul taste in his mouth. He didn't know Belle French well, though he desired too. She was the only person in town who never failed to greet him with a warm smile whenever she passed by him on the street. She was the only person who had ever showed him even a shred of kindness. _

"_No." Mr. Gold snarled. "I can't accept that." His mind was turning now. He would __not __allow Moe French to take money from his daughter. But-he certainly wouldn't mind granting him an extension in exchange for his daughter's company…_

"_I'll tell you what Mr. French." Mr. Gold said, his voice sickeningly smooth. "I'll grant you your extension, if you give me something in return." _

"_Name it!" Moe said. He was willing to give him anything if it meant not having to face his wrath. _

"_An evening." Mr. Gold paused, words were always important. "A date-with your daughter."_

_Moe heaved a sigh of relief. _

"_Is that all?" He asked nervously._

"_That's all." Mr. Gold confirmed. _

"_Then you've got a deal." Moe said, shaking the pawnbroker's hand eagerly._

* * *

For Belle, the following day could not have gone by any slower. It felt as if the Universe was tormenting her-making it its' own personal mission to drag this day out as long as possible, when all she wanted was for it to go by quickly so she could get the date over with.

She _knew _she wasn't going to have a good time. All of the men her father had set her up with in the past had either been boring or full of themselves. Sometimes, she wondered if _she _was the problem. After all, what right did she have to be so picky?

But, even so, she couldn't bring herself to fall for someone who she had nothing in common with-who didn't understand her. She just couldn't.

And she couldn't go on this date. It wasn't fair to whoever she was being set up with.

Checking the clock, noticing it was 5:30 and there was still a little time, Belle picked up her cell phone and dialed her father's number.

"Hi Dad, I-" Belle began.

"Belle1" Moe interrupted. "Are you looking forward to your date tonight?"

"Um, that was what I wanted to talk to you about." Belle began.

"I'm sure _he's_ looking forward to it!" Moe said knowingly. Though he still couldn't understand why Mr. Gold has asked for a date with his daughter in exchange for an extension on the rent, but he wasn't going to question it. It was a small price to pay.

"Dad I can't go." Belle blurted out.

Moe paused. "Belle, you _have too." _

"I can-t Dad, I just can't. It wouldn't be fair to him and-" Belle said.

"No. Belle. You don't understand, you _have to go." _Moe insisted, his voice becoming more desperate with each word he spoke.

Belle paused, her suspicions raised.

"Why. Why do I _have to go? _Why is this so important to you?"

Moe paused, she was going to find out eventually.

"Because-the date is with Mr. Gold."

"Mr. Gold?" Belle repeated. Now she was confused. She didn't know _who _she had been expecting would be picking her up. But it _certainly _was not Mr. Gold. "Why would he want to go on a-"

"I was late on my rent!" Moe sputtered. "I begged him for an extension, and he wouldn't give me one. I told him I'd give him anything that he wanted and-and he said that an evening with you wou-"

Belle was livid.

"So you pawned me off so you could get out of paying your rent f or a few more weeks?" She shouted. "I'm your _daughter! _How could you do something like that?"

"Belle I-"

"Just forget it." Belle said before slamming her phone shut and ending the call.

She couldn't believe her father would do something like this-except, she _could. _He had always been a selfish man. Had always been willing to use other people to solve his problems. But even so, she was hurt.

She was hurt and _confused. _Mr. Gold was known for getting whatever he asked for out of a deal-no matter what it was. So she really didn't understand why he would want to go on a date with _her. _To her knowledge, she hadn't ever known Mr. Gold to date _anyone. _She knew he had been married once, and that it had ended badly-but other than that, aside from his young son-he'd been alone.

She was certain that if he _wanted _to date a woman, he could. He was a handsome man-older than she, but still handsome. And she was certainly not interesting enough to entertain someone as sophisticated as he. If he was under the impression that she _was_-he would be sincerely disappointed.

She had to cancel. Glancing quickly at the clock, she saw that it was quarter to six-if she was quick, she might be able to catch him before he left to pick her up.

Reaching for the phone book, she began to look up his number, but was distracted by the ringing sound of the doorbell from the library below, informing her that someone was at the door.

Mr. Gold.

Belle groaned. There was no way that this could go well. There was no way that Mr. Gold would _ever_ actually _enjoy _an entire evening with her-it wasn't possible.

Quickly checking her outfit over, Belle walked down the stairs and unlocked the door, opening it slowly to reveal Mr. Gold, looking sharply dressed in one of his custom suits, his shoulder length hair combed neatly in place, and a warm smile on his face. A smile that Belle had never seen him give to anyone before.

But-he was not alone. Standing beside him was his young son Bae, grinning sheepishly up at her.

"Daddy." Bae whispered, tugging on Mr. Gold's pant leg. "You were right, she _is _pretty."

Belle couldn't help but blush at the boy's words, and she noticed that Mr. Gold did as well.

"Mr. Gold." Belle said shyly. "It's nice to see you."

"The feeling is mutual, Ms. French." He replied warmly.

Belle blushed again. "Oh please, call me Belle." Kneeling down, Belle extended her hand to Bae. "Hi Bae!" She said sweetly. "I'm Belle."

Bae grinned widely. "I know!" He said proudly. "Daddy talks about you _all _the time! He says that you're the-"

"Bae!" Mr. Gold said, shushing his son.

Belle shared a private smile with Bae.

"I do apologize." Mr. Gold said timidly. "The sitter cancelled and-"

"Oh! Don't apologize!" Belle said quickly. "I love kids, and I have a feeling Bae and I are going to be great friends!" She grinned at Bae again, and he smiled right back at her.

Mr. Gold visibly relaxed at her words. "Wonderful, I'd intended to take you somewhere, well-a little more, erm-private but, with Bae it's"

Belle smiled warmly at him. "It's alright." She said, understanding what he meant. "How about we all have dinner here?"

"Oh no." Mr. Gold said quickly. "I wouldn't want to trouble you and I'd hoped to take you somewhere and-"

Belle couldn't help but smile at this new side of Mr. Gold. She had never seen him so nervous before.

"Daddy!" Bae said. "Can I give her the flower?"

Belle cocked her head to the side as she watched Mr. Gold gingerly pull out a single red rose from his jacket pocket and hand it to his son, his face reddening when his eyes met hers.

As Belle kneeled down once more, Bae presented the flower to her.

"I'm supposed to say, this is from me!" Bae said. "But-" He whispered into her ear, thinking his father couldn't hear him. "It's _really _from my Daddy."

Belle beamed at him, stealing a glance at Mr. Gold as he ran his hands through his hair nervously.

"Well." Belle said to Bae. "You can tell him, that I _love _the flower. It's very sweet."

"You see Daddy! I _told you _she'd like it!" Bae said to his father as Belle stood back up again.

Mr. Gold smiled at his son before returning his gaze back to Belle.

"I insist, at least allow me to make you dinner." He paused, his palms sweating as he spoke. "Perhaps-would you, would you like to have dinner at my home this evening?"

"Yeah!" Bae said excitedly, loving the sound of that idea. "I can show you my toys!"

Belle smiled at Bae, and spoke shyly to Mr. Gold. "That would be lovely."

Mr. Gold smiled shyly at her in return.

Closing the library door and locking it behind her, Belle walked with Bae and Mr. Gold to their car.

She couldn't believe it. She was about to go on a date, _a date-_with Mr. Gold.

And she was excited about it.


End file.
